I was just curious how people mark their lines for joinery. Marking knife vs. pencil? I have always used a pencil in the past but I'm messing around with a marking knife. Also, any recommendations on preferred style of knife? Just curious...

Hello,

I don't use either of the options that you have proposed, pencils that are always breaking and needing to be sharpened so often it makes your hair curl, and making such inconsistent lines, starting out thin and crisp at the one side and then getting fatter and blurry by the time you get to the other side - and I'm talking about drawing one line - and even though they are getting better, or I'm wising up to the cheap ones, it seems they went through a time when they were of such poor quality they weren't even worth using for kindling. Knives, good if your cutting dovetail in a mahogany chest of drawers but the lines can strain the eyes on such a scale as house building.

Here's my set-up for marking:


if you don't mind a bit of ink on your fingers from time to time. Bamboo pens can be had commercially but I prefer making my own. Stays sharp a long time and makes a good line on end grain to boot, lines remain easily seen even outside even after the rain.
Since getting a handle on using ink, I'll never go back. Still, I keep a pencil stub in my pocket just for jotting down.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

I use pencil with a variety of hardness. Awl could be an option, scratch the line. Knife if it is critical and I am using the chainsaw, otherwise pencil. Not sure if I could deal with ink, would have to see/experience it being used. How is the ink with wet wood?

Please pay attention Tim.

He's asking about green wood not wet wood from rain. I think it's a fair question that should be given a fair answer.

I layout with a pencil so that I can visualize the joint, then I scribe it with a standard utility knife.

One teacher told us to cut the pencil line down the middle regardless of how wide it was. I find that sometimes difficult to do. Paring to a knife line is easier for me.

So Don you are saying the ink works just fine on green, dew, rain, fog, snow, frost and ice covered timber. Correct? Just wet in general, Jim.

I strive to cut half the pencil line. So I can see I have not crossed the line as some fragments are still visible.

I layout with a very sharp awl and homemade mortise gauges that cut into the wood. I check the layout aand then ink the scored lines with a steel split quill ruling pen from old drafting kits. The result is more precise than any other method I have ever used.

I use a pen, essentially like Don but a little more modern

A regular ball point pen works in most instances, but if the wood is overly wet it doesn't always do too hot, though you may be surprised.

A higher quality ball point seems to work even on wood that has just been rained on, at least that is my experience.

I don't like to use an awl, because sometimes it gets caught and follows the grain when marking parallel to it. Knife lines are nice in instances that require supreme accuracy, which in general when working in green or somewhat green wood, such accuracy is an exercise in futility...

Well, that was a question worth asking. I guess I will have to do a little experimenting and see what works. I've tried a pen in the past but had bad luck with green rough wood. I may try some better pens as D L Bahler suggested. I like the idea of D Wagstaff's ink pot, but I think I would spill more ink than I would draw. It would be the Exxon Valdez of timber framing! Thanks all for sharing.

I use a 9mm mechanical pencil. Always the same thickness of line and you never have to sharpen. I then score the line before cutting.